Fruit of the loom

Designer Sanjukta Dutta is reinventing classical Assamese weaves into contemporary forms.
Assam weave skirt
Assam weave skirt

Guwahati-based fashion designer and winner of the best fashion designer title at the Dada Saheb Phalke Excellence Awards in February this year, Sanjukta Dutta, has taken the fashion world by storm, and wowed celebrities in India and abroad with her handcrafted apparel in Assam silk.

She has, in fact, been credited with having reinvented mekhela chador, the traditional dress worn by Assamese women. Till a few years ago, it was only available in white, red, muga (beige), black and blue hues, but thanks to Dutta’s ingenuousness, it now sports many shades. “I have added more colours to make mekhela chadors more appealing. The designs and motifs used by traditional weavers were staid and didn’t really follow a theme. I am trying to make the designs trendy, while still remaining true to the heritage of the region. Most of my designs are derived from the state’s beautiful flora and fauna and our rich folk music and culture.”

Sanjukta Dutta with a model sporting
her design

As a kid, Dutta, who hails from Nagaon district, loved playing the violin, a passion she traded off to earn a degree in civil engineering and went on to join the state public works department department. After working for 10 years, she called it quits in January 2012, and moved on to satiate her creative sensibilities in the world of fashion, albeit by chance. “I don’t have any formal training in fashion designing, but yes, I was always fascinated by the beauty of attires made from Assamese silk—paat muga. I started designing clothes for myself as I grew up, and this passion consumed me so much that one fine day I decided to make it my profession,” says Dutta.

Having found her calling, she immersed herself deep into reviving and redesigning the mekhela chador, while retaining its relevance and attractiveness for today’s discerning urban consumer. In a way, she wanted to contribute to a more significant cause of promoting Assam silk fabrics—muga, paat and eri—and doing her bit in the revival of handloom in Assam that in turn was a source of livelihood for many impoverished weavers.

Her endeavour gave a fresh lease of life to hundreds of weavers who joined her to spin a fashionable yarn at the Manchester of East, Suwalkuchi, near Guwahati. “I started off with only three looms in 2012. Now I have 113 looms and 12 factories spread over Assam,” she reveals. Today, Dutta supports more than a 100 artisans’ families, covering all aspects of their life such as education, medical and lodging. She also gives them wages that are above the industry average.

“From an engineer in the state’s public works department to a designer working towards the revival of handloom, my life has been quite interesting. I am thrilled doing what I do and am very thankful for being acknowledged for my work,” she says.

In 2014, she founded Sanjukta’s Studios, a high-end clothing boutique that creates customised handcrafted mekhela chadors and other pieces made from traditional silk such as saris, lehengas and skirts for the fashion-savvy woman of today by adding a hint of modernity yet retaining the traditional tinge and tone.

Dutta’s stunning range of mekhela chadors made a grand debut on the ramp at the Lakme Fashion Week 2016 and India Beach Fashion Week 2017. Her other accomplishments include designing muga  angavastram for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge during their visit to Assam. One can buy her designs directly from her studio or her Facebook page (Mekhela Chador by Sanjukta) and Instagram account (Sanjukta Dutta) and also from her website (www.sanjuktasstudios.com).

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